Method of burning brick



(N0 Model.)

l A. YATES. METHOD 0F BURNING BRICK.

Patented Sept. 12, 1882,

il l! Il I! Il Il Il Il I1 Inn/Emma WTNEEEEE UNITED STATES PATENT einen.

ALFRED YATES, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

METHOD yOF BURNING BRICK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 264,117, datedSeptember 12, 1882.

` Application filed April 3, 18S-2. (No model.)

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED YATES, residingin the city of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State ot'Massachusetts, a subject of Victoria, Queen of the United KingdomofGrreat Britain and Ireland, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Methods ot' Burning Bricks, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being made to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification in explaining its nature,`in which- Figure 1 is a perspective of a brick-kiln having acornerbroken out to illustrate its application, and Fig. 2 is a cross verticalsection on the line ot' oneof the arches.

This invention relates to the method of burning bricks whereby the heatemployed in burning is disseminated more uniformly throughout the kiln,and is prevented from escaping to the outerair to as large an extent asformerly.

The method is applicable to the brick-kiln of ordinary construction, andI have represented in the drawings one of that class.

The method consists in forming or arranging at or near the top ofthekiln one or more lines of tlues which extend across the kiln from sideto side or from end to end, or both, (in which last-named case lit wouldbe preferable that one line ot' iues be above the other, and that theybe separated by one or more courses of brick,) and by commencing theburning of the kiln and continuing it until the water-smoke is drivenoit' and the bricks well heated, and then applying to the top of thekiln and to the y sides, it' not previously applied, a coating or layerof soft clay or a mixture ofclay and other earth, forming a casing orenvelope about the kiln, which prevents the heat from escaping therefromto any considerable extent. The i'lues are formed in piling the brick inmaking the kiln in any way Well known to brick-Inakers, and, if desired,instead of using green brick burnt brick may be employed. A latting ot'one or more courses of brick, preferably, islaid over thetlues, andataproper stage in the burning of the kiln this tjatting or the iluesare covered or embedded with soft clay or a mixture of clay and otherearth of a depth sufficient to prevent the escape of heat to any extentthrough the top of the kiln. At the same time, or before, or immediatelyafter I apply to the sides and ends ofthe kiln a scov-4 ing of brick andmud or clay, or mixture ot' clay and other earth, which also serves topreventthe heatfroinleavingthe kiln. Thisscoving, preferably, is appliedbefore the commencement of the firing,- aud is arranged preferably toform a passage or flue d on the sides and ends of the kiln, whichpassage, however, preferably does not extend to the top of the kiln.This passage or flue provides means whereby the heat from the ire canpass directly from the arches upon the outside ofthe green brick at theends and sides of the kiln, and then passes into the. body ot' the kiln.This topping or upper covering or protection ot' the kiln -cannot beapplied to advantage at the commencement of the burning, because it isnecessary, first of all, to heatup the mass ot' bricks in the kiln, andfor that reason a more vigorous draft and a ready escape for thesmokcand steam are necessary; but afterthe mass of bricks is well heated andcleared ot steam or water-smoke, and the top covering and the scoving(if not previously done) is applied, and the heat is thereby uniformlyspread throughout the kiln, and what current is necessary for thepurpose of circulation ofthe heat is established by the transverse dues,which, being uniformly arranged, and being close together, prevent anytendency ofthe heat to follow any given line or direction.

ln the drawings, A represents the kiln; a, the arches; b, the flues, andc the covering or layer of clay upon the top, and d the scoving.

This improvement not only results in burning the bricks more uniformlythroughout the kiln than heretofore, but it also improves very much thequality of those bricks at the top, corners, sides, and ends ofthe kilnto such an extent that hard brick are burned almost at the very cornersand sides of the kiln remote y from the re.

Another advantage which arises from this effected.

through the kiln and preventing the escape of heattherefrom andconfining it within the kiln, and thereby getting from the fuel used thegreatest amount ot' value.

I am aware that it is not new to arrange llues ICO provided with dampersacross the top of brickkilns, and doV not broadly claim sucharrangement'.-

Having thus fully described niy invention, I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent ot' the United States The process of burning bricks inkilns consisting in providing the kiln with one or more linesoftransverse tlues at or near its top, heat.- 1o ing the kiln to thestage or point known-as cleared,77 and then applying a coating orcovering of clay or clay and earth or other similar non-heat-conduetingmaterial to the top of the kiln, and to the sides, if not previouslyapplied, and continuing the burning, all substan- 15 tially as and. forthe purposes described.

ALFRED YATES. Witnesses:

F. F. RAYMOND, 2d, W. C. FOGG.

